All about Gas Furnace Parts and Components

A machine is nothing but a sum of all its parts. This statement implies that in the majority of cases, a machine that has a faulty part will fail to work to its full capacity and potential. Every single part of a machine is as important as any other part that it contains. Therefore, a person owning a machine should always keep an eye on its gas furnace parts and components to keep it fully functional. This takes special importance if one considers a machine that has potential for disaster in it, such as a gas furnace. The danger is nothing less than a direct result of the volatility of the fuel that a gas furnace uses. Since a malfunctioning gas furnace can do a lot of damage to its surroundings, the machine and its associated parts and components should be kept well maintained.

Having said that, it should also be noted that gas furnaces manufacturers employ various methods and safe instruments, whose sole aim is to prevent degradation of any part or component, and resultantly prevent any hazardous reactions. However, it is only natural for any material to degrade over a period of time, owing to wear and tear of use. Therefore, sooner or later, a gas furnace owner will have to undertake the repair of his or her gas furnace by either repairing a component, or part, or entirely replacing it. As per average, this situation usually arises between five to seven years of a gas furnace's age. Usually, such faults are small and can be handled by the owner himself or herself. In fact, taking care of such small faults by oneself is also more economical and beneficial, as the information pertaining to the repair or replacement is easily available online. These online manuals on various gas furnace parts and components are extremely expansive and usually take into account that a layman is reading them. Even so, in order to be on the safer side, the owner should look to hire a professional for this, as any mistakes can lead to further damage to the whole system.

The acquisition of any part in question is also easier than most people imagine, as against the popular belief that it is difficult to obtain some gas furnace parts. Internet is a treasure trove of information and services, and just like everything else, it also has websites that provide branded, and even non branded parts and components of gas furnaces. Also, internet makes it easier for a customer to find parts of different models through online comparison charts, which they may be able to use in their model.

These gas furnace parts and components are often termed generic parts, which can be used in multiple models. Furthermore, there are certain websites that offer parts at discounted or wholesale prices. These are, in reality, parts that have ended in the market because of surplus supply or liquidation of hardware stores. Another reason why internet becomes important with respect to gas furnace parts is that on many occasions, some parts are not available at the local hardware stores. This situation of unavailability is the reason that the websites selling gas furnace parts and components are thriving on the internet.

Gas Furnace: Parts, Functions, And Specifications

A gas furnace is a commonly used heating appliance which runs on mostly natural gas. Upon operating the furnace, by-products like carbon dioxide and water vapor are released due to the burning of gas. Apart from these, a lot of heat is also generated which escapes through the chimney. All conventional gas furnaces had this kind of a set-up in which even when the furnace was off, the heat escaped through the chimney. To make these furnaces more efficient, the amount of heat escaping out of the chimney was reduced and extraction of heat from the by-products was increased before they were ventilated.

Parts and Functioning Of A Gas Furnace:

The three main categories of the parts of a gas furnace are:

•  Burner, heat exchanger, ventilator

•  Control and safety parts

•  Blower and movement of air

A metal case encloses all the working parts within its walls. The ignition system (electronic/pilot light) has a direct connection with the main gas supply. The basic operation of a gas furnace involves drawing of heat inside a heat exchanger which warms it with the help of a flame of natural gas. The blower sends the heated air through sealed metal ducts which then travels inside a room via a grill. The cool air is continuously circulated inside the furnace after filtration through the filter of the furnace to keep away dust and pollen. So it acts like a forced air system. The entire process is repeated in cycles. The process is air being pulled inside the furnace and warm air thrown out into the room. This is repeated until the thermostat is switched off by warm air.

Specifications of a Gas Furnace: The specifications include various factors affecting the efficiency of the system.

•  Efficiency rating: The AFUE ( Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) rating of 90 percent or higher is recommended for a fuel efficient furnace.

•  Humidity Control: Renowned furnaces are equipped with automatic humidity and temperature control through an automatic humidifier and thermostat.

•  Ignition System: This should be automatic to avoid usage of matches or pilot lights. This is again essential for better efficiency.

•  Speed of the Blower: An ideal high efficiency furnace can have four-five blower speeds which mean better tuning and comfort for the user.

•  Size: The size of the furnace should be according to the size of heating area. An odd size can affect the electricity bill as well as the efficiency of the system.

An efficient gas furnace (with energy efficiency rating of 14.1 and above) can add to the comfort of life without presenting a bother about the electricity bill during winters.